Redundancy Island
2:00 pm - March 10th 2010
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How a group of laid off workers took over an uninhabited island and began their protest.
When so-called “reality TV” programmes started mushrooming up one after the other, many commented on the fact that the only “real” thing about them was in the name.
And yet, as they quickly saturated television, their artificial, dumb and repetitive formula will probably be judged by history as the Noughties’ worst cultural legacy.
Back in 2005, we wrote that a Temping Idol or Casual Employee Academy would have been a good antidote to the binge of televisual fakery that goes by the name of “reality”.
Now, a dramatic story is actually underway and it’s no fake.
A group of workers barricaded themselves on Asinara, a small island off the northern coast of Sardinia. For decades, and until 1997, the island was used as a maximum security prison, and its only inhabitants were prisoners and warders.
After being collectively laid off four months ago, on February 24, a group of workers from a chemical company called ENI landed at Asinara and set camp at the old prison.
This is when their L’isola dei Cassintegrati, “Redundancy Island”, started. Though there are no celebrity and no television crews, the workers are hoping to direct collective focus towards their plight.
Their families help them set up a Facebook group which has already gained over 14,000 supporters. It reads:
“Redundancy Island is a ‘real’ reality, unfortunately, where no-one is famous but everyone is jobless. Hidden away on an island which is the symbol of what a once Great Sardinia which is now in the throes of a deep crisis, we are dwelling in cells which are no worse than the prison bars that the national government, the regional one and ENI presented us with.
There are no yachts, billionaires or showgirls on this island, just the crude reality of unaccountable politics and a state-controlled company – ENI – pursuing its business goals as they trample on hundreds of families. Not least, a group of brave workers fighting for their rights”.
Since redundancy notices were served in November, the workers have had to make do with a single 800 Euro payout.
“It’s embarrassing that we have to mimick Celebrity Island to remind people of what’s going on in both Italy and Sardinia”, said one of the protesters to Italian daily la Repubblica.
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Claude is a regular contributor, and blogs more regularly at: Hagley Road to Ladywood
· Other posts by Claude Carpentieri
Story Filed Under: Blog ,Economy ,Europe
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Reader comments
Wow, good reporting Claude. Things are falling apart in Italy, and yet all they can do is blame the immigrunts.
I can’t help but feel a bit disappointed. What’s the point in occupying an island if all you’re going to do is “focus attention on [your] plight”? I can’t help but think that if people had occupied a Mediterranean island a hundred years ago, they’d be declaring independence and building a self-sufficient communal society or something, rather than staging a mock reconstruction of a form of popular entertainment. I guess political action just ain’t what it used to be.
There are no yachts, billionaires or showgirls on this island, just the crude reality of unaccountable politics and a state-controlled company – ENI – pursuing its business goals as they trample on hundreds of families. Not least, a group of brave workers fighting for their rights”.
You forgot the bit about the clouds being made of candy floss that you can actually eat, the golden streets, and the money growing from the trees.
Apart from that. Good post.
Look a video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAzPx3Y91V0
Now the Facebook group has already gained over 50,000 supporters
writing from italy, a little upgrading may be of some help to you.. members of ‘redundancy island’ group on facebook have reached over 57000.
I hear sarchastic comments are widespread abroad about our awful government and I do not need to add anything about that. I’d only like to point out that everything you may imagine is by far underestimated so these workers very well deserve all our and your full support. media are rapidly focusing on them, as realities and quiz or music tv shows are all that it’s about in Italy now. please do not let us feel adrift.
give us your warm solidarity!
Thank you for this post and the attention towards ours problems in Sardinia and also in Italy
Reactions: Twitter, blogs
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Liberal Conspiracy
Redundancy Island http://bit.ly/9pVxNr
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L'isola dei
Il 10 marzo 2010 la protesta de L'isola dei cassintegrati supera i confini nazionali e la notizia arriva a uno… http://t.co/pt6bt2lZ
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L'isola dei
Redundancy Island http://bit.ly/9pVxNr
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Marco Nurra
Redundancy Island http://bit.ly/9pVxNr
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SardinianConnection
Il 10 marzo 2010 la protesta de L'isola dei cassintegrati supera i confini nazionali e la notizia arriva a uno… http://t.co/pt6bt2lZ
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Federico DeVirgiliis
Il 10 marzo 2010 la protesta de L'isola dei cassintegrati supera i confini nazionali e la notizia arriva a uno… http://t.co/pt6bt2lZ
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Michele Azzu
I wish It would be so, @NoamChomski. Our demonstration in Italy http://t.co/N2hWU0pT shows is not that easy. Peace, @cassintegrati
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